The Pope's private butler stole a raft of private documents from the Pontiff's
own office as part of a campaign to rid the Vatican of "evil and
corruption", it was claimed on Monday as a judge ordered him to stand
trial.

Paolo Gabriele, a 46-year-old father-of-three who had served Benedict XVI for almost six years, will face trial later this year, accused of "aggravated theft".

It also emerged that Claudio Sciarpelletti, a Vatican IT expert, who works within the Holy See's Secretariat of State – whose name had not been disclosed before – was charged in connection with the leaking of the documents, although he faces a lesser accusation of aiding and abetting.

The details of the decision by investigating judge Piero Antonio Bonnet were disclosed in a 35 page document which outlined the case against the duo.

According to the document, a 100,000 euro cheque belonging to the Pope was recovered from Mr Gabriele's apartment during the investigation, as well as a gold nugget and a 1581 Italian translation of Virgil's classic poem Aeneid by Annibale Caro, both of which were gifts to the Pontiff.

During his questioning, Mr Gabriele allegedly insisted he "meant to give back" the items, that he had also written to the Pope expressing his "sorrow" and adding that he had not received "any money or other benefits" insisting that he had acted to "keep the Holy Father informed of certain facts and events."

The document also revealed how Gabriele had told prosecutors that he had acted because he had seen "evil and corruption everywhere in the Church" and he wanted to stop it spreading adding: "I reached the point of no return. I was sure that a shock, perhaps by using the media, could be a healthy thing to bring the Church back on the right track."

At a Vatican news conference on Monday, Fr Federico Lombardi, the Pope's spokesman, said that the Pope could step in and pardon Mr Gabriele therefore avoiding a trial.

He added however: "Up until now he has not done so and he has been kept fully informed. It would seem plausible that a hearing will therefore take place in the autumn."

Father Lombardi also gave details of Mr Sciarpelletti's arrest, adding that it had taken place two days after Mr Gabriele was held on May 25.

"His role was marginal and it would be wrong to say he was an accomplice of Gabriele's but they knew each other and he could have helped him," he said.

Fr Lombardi also revealed that the investigation was still ongoing to determine whether other people were involved.

"We don't think we have finished our work ... The inquiry is still open with regard to other people who appear to be implicated," he said, quoting prosecutor Nicola Picardi.

Mr Gabriele was arrested following an investigation into the leak of the documents. He was held for almost two months in a Vatican cell in isolation before being put under house arrest in July awaiting the judge's decision.

The Vatileaks documents showed how contracts were awarded to favoured companies and individuals. They also highlighted allegations of internal power struggles with the Holy See's bank.

There have been constant rumours in the Italian media since the scandal broke that Mr Gabriele may have been a scapegoat and had the help of senior cardinals within the Church.

One theory is that the documents were leaked to undermine Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's secretary of state. Others have speculated the leaking is aimed at Monsignor George Ganswein, the Pope's private secretary.

Carlo Fusco, Mr Gabriele's lawyer, on Monday said: "The decision to send Paolo Gabriele for trial was communicated to him this morning and he and his legal team read the documentation together. It details, although not exhaustively, certain elements that we had already previously discussed."

Mr Gabriele faces up to six years in prison. The Vatican has said the trial will not take place until October at the earliest.